TAROUBA, Trinidad: West Indies lost their first three wickets with only 17 on the scoreboard and never recovered as India won the final one-day international by the huge margin of 200 runs to clinch the three-match series 2-1 on Tuesday.
Put in to bat, India reached 351-5 with captain Hardik Pandya smashing 18 in the last over for a 52-ball 70 not out. West Indies were all out in reply for 151 in 35.3 overs. Shardul Thakur took 4-37 while Mukesh Kumar’s 3-30 included West Indies openers Brandon King (0) and Kyle Mayers (4).
The hosts were chasing their first ODI series win against India since 2006 but faced a tough challenge after Ishan Kishan (77) and Shubman Gill (85) gave India a great start, scoring 143 in 19.4 overs.
Hardik, whose final over was against Romario Shepherd, hit five sixes and four fours.
Sanju Samson (51) and Hardik added more quick runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in India’s highest ODI total against West Indies in West Indies.
In reply, West Indies were 1-1, 7-2 and then 17-3 with the wicket of captain Shai Hope (5). The game was effectively over at 75-7 when No. 3 Alick Athanaze (32) was bowled by Kuldeep Yadav (2-25). Late resistance came from Alzarri Joseph (26) and Gudakesh Motie (39 not out) who put on 55 runs for the ninth wicket.
West Indies were unchanged from their series-leveling six-wicket victory in the second ODI.
India, who will host the Cricket World Cup from October, were again under-strength as they rested Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli once more. India made two changes — bringing in Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 8 at No. 3, and Jaydev Unadkat for Axar Patel and Umran Malik. Unadkat was playing his first ODI game for 10 years and took 1-16 in five overs.
India had a five-wicket win in the first ODI.
India won the preceding two-Test series 1-0.
West Indies and India are also scheduled to play a five-match T20 series, starting at Tarouba on Thursday. The fourth and fifth Twenty20 games will be at Lauderhill, Florida, on Aug. 12-13.
